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Given its vast coastline, Delhi should devote its attention for now to importing hydrocarbons by sea, investing in equity oil in Russia and other energy-rich countries, and concluding swap arrangements rather than grandiose transregional pipelines.

Demographic trends in Russia since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 have largely been unfavourable. Deaths exceeded births for the first time in 1992, and a period of negative growth followed which continued unabated until 2012 when marginal growth was achieved for the first time in two decades. This paper studies the demographic patterns in Russia since 1991, which are unique for several reasons. While population decline is common amo

Africa has become essential to Russia’s geostrategic posture as Moscow seeks to overcome the backlash to its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. However, in the face of isolation and a contracting economy, Russia has realised that cultivating an entry point in Africa through conventional means such as foreign direct investment (FDI), trade, development assistance, or cultural and educational exchanges may not be its best option. Instead, Mosc

Russia now controls about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory (as of April 2025) following its invasion of the country in February 2022, having made major advances since mid-2023 after being initially pushed back by Ukrainian forces. This paper analyses Russia’s wartime adaptations—at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels—that have influenced battlefield outcomes in its favour. It argues that while Russia has suffered severe troop

SAARC conjures up an image of jamborees and no results. The South Asian Association of Regional cooperation with its seven members ( India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh) remains one of the most dysfunctional trade blocs and there is hardly any freedom of movement of goods, services and people. The next (13th) SAARC summit is going to be held in Dhaka in the beginning of January 2005.

India has said that the regional efforts to counter terrorism in South Asia continue to face significant challenges though there are various SAARC frameworks on suppression of terrorism since 1987.

The SAARC energy agreement signed may have given some hope for the realisation of energy cooperation in South Asia. But, it needs to be understood that an overarching agreement has little impact on project-based cooperation, owing to the centrality of India in the South Asian geography.

Amb M Rasgotra, International Affairs Adviser, Observer Research Foundation, and former Foreign Secretary of India, was invited as Chief Guest at the Convocation of the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lnaka, held on June 23, 2005. The complete text of his Convocation Address is reproduced below:

The 17th SAARC Summit was held at Addu Atoll, Maldives on the 10th and 11th of November 2011. The venue, in the words of the Bhutanese Prime Minister, reflected the vastness of South Asia.

Despite SAARC's failures of the past, the repeated declarations by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the need to reinvigorate ties with neighbouring states have created a renewed interest in the possibilities of multilateral cooperation under SAARC.

The 17th SAARC Summit, held on 10-11 November at Addu City in Maldives, will be remembered for three things - for the inspiring speech of the outgoing Chair,

In context of SAARC, the reality of the situation demands that India handles Pakistan separately. India also has to approach the rest of SAARC neighbours with a more accommodative mind-set. Such mind-sets cannot be confined to sharing history and culture, economic prosperity and development-spending.

Hard-nosed realists around the world are impressed with Modi's diplomatic flair seen during his visits to Nepal and Japan. But they ask if Modi can go beyond the atmospherics and bring about a substantial change in the relationship with China. Here again, Modi has the opportunity to introduce change.

Within a fortnight of the death of Osama bin Laden, news came of the appointment of a senior al Qaeda leader, Saif Al-'Adl, as the interim chief, indicating clearly an internal tussle for the leadership of the global terrorist group, raising, in the process,

Saintliness is rigid in adapting to the world. Effectiveness — getting results on the ground, requires flexibility in implementation.

The buzzword across three principal Asian countries � India, China and Japan � is 'reform'. While the test for China is tough enough, the challenge for India is far tougher. Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has promised "the most drastic reforms since the end of the Second World War".

Observer Research Foundation (ORF) organised a brainstorming session on "Possible Approaches for India's policy towards Myanmar" on October 18, 2007. The meeting discussed a gamut of issues including India's Myanmar policy, sanction regime, the China factor, Myanmar's political transition, and international community's response to the recent uprising in Myanmar.

To understand the different aspects of the Iranian nuclear programme and its impact on the region, especially India, Observer Research Foundation, in collaboration with the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), organised a workshop on March 4, 2013.

Unlike the crowded and competitive Republican presidential nomination field, the Democratic field, for a long time, looked empty with only Hillary Clinton. The strong entry of Sanders in the Democratic nomination has given the American voters a fair choice between Clinton and Sanders' respective brands of politics.

Good performance invites the curse of heightened expectations unless tempered by realism. The BJP manifesto fails to walk this tightrope.

In yet another bizarre turn to the Sankararaman murder case, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested Mutt manager Sundaresa Iyer and junior pontiffs brother Raghu under the anti-drugs law. They have now been charged with conspiring to murder construction contractor Ravi Subramaniam, who has turned approver in the Sankararaman murder case,

Showing images of attacks on US soldiers in Iraq is a crime? In what category do we then place the complete destruction of what was once Mesopotamia, one of the world's earliest civilizations?

Over the last few years, Delhi has found Riyadh more forthcoming in tracking down terrorists of concern to India. As the Kingdom enters a more decisive phase in their war against terror, the prospects for security cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia are likely to improve.

Saudi Arabia, under the tutelage of the crown prince and heir apparent Mohammed bin Salman, is remoulding its two main exports—oil and Islam—to future-proof both the Saudi state and the monarchy that runs it. While transitions of such scale and consequence have been attempted before, they have met with limited success. Today, the challenges and opportunities before Riyadh are simultaneously invigorating and jarring. This brief assesses Saudi

Even as the 'Arab Spring' confrontations develop a sectarian character, the Saudi-Iranian relationship cannot be perceived through the dichotomous lens of sectarianism or of pragmatism. The evolving relationship between the two states incorporates both elements

¿Unlike in Egypt, Algeria and Yemen, no well¿defined group engaged in sustained terrorism has emerged in Saudi Arabia¿i. A lot has been said and written about Saudi Arabia¿s role in the largely defunct ¿war on terror¿. The ruling family of the House of Saud has been an unabashed US ally in the campaign to hunt out terrorists.

By bringing China and Russia into the region and by developing strategic partnerships with important players such as India, Riyadh is signalling its intent to reduce its dependence on the US. Mohammed bin Salman is looking at a policy of multi-alignment that affords greater strategic autonomy.

The NDA government has not devoted sufficient attention to the Middle East in 2014. As New Delhi turns to the Gulf in 2015 and tends to its high stakes in the region, an intensive engagement with Saudi Arabia must be at the top of PM Narendra Modi's diplomatic priorities.

Amidst the growing distrust of the US and the absence of domestic capabilities to confront a rising Iran, the Saudis are determined to strengthen their regional alliances, especially the historic partnership with Pakistan.

In seeking 'Scheduled Castes' identity, fishers across India, including those in southern Tamil Nadu coast, need to acknowledge the double-edged weapon that court orders have been in conferring 'tribal rights' on land-based SC communities.

India is facing a fiscal crunch, and Indians were not told. For this kind of mismanagement, more than a Finance Secretary ought to go.

The Supreme Court did award NCR's elected government due authority. But, by leaving reserve subjects with the LG, it contradicted a global governance trend.

As the frequency and impacts of climate events increase, demand for adaptation at the local level becomes urgent. The adaptation finance received from developing and least- developed countries is estimated to be less than USD 25 billion per year, which is exponentially less than the required amount of USD 215 billion per year. Further, the evidence indicates that less than 10% of global climate finance reaches the local level. Local communities l

Recongnising the pivotal role of technology in ensuring India?s emergence as a global player, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi, has launched a ?Technology Initiative?. As the first event, a one-day workshop on ?Science & Technology Challenges for India? is being hosted on May 7, 2005. The workshop brings together renowned professionals to evolve collective, cohesive thinking on issues of significance to India?s S&T performance and as

हाल के सम्मेलन से जो सकारात्मक संकेत मिले हैं, उन्हें वास्तविकता के धरातल पर उतारने के लिए चीन को सुनिश्चित करना होगा कि उसकी कथनी एवं करनी में कोई भेद नहीं. तभी एससीओ प्रती�

For Indian Foreign Policy radicals, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, whose leaders are meeting this week in Beijing, is about an undying dream from the past - building an eastern bloc against the West.

SCO बैठकीत भारत-चीन संबंधांचं नाजूक संतुलन स्पष्ट दिसलं. जिथे शक्य आहे तिथं सहकार्य, आणि जिथं गरज आहे तिथं सावधगिरी.

Normal relations and peace with Pakistan are not possible unless Pakistan stops supporting terrorism and there is verifiable evidence. Even then, what the Shiv Sena goons did to Sudheendra Kulkarni preceding Kasuri's book launch was a national shame. This action does no credit to any Indian.

We have decided to resume the so-called composite dialogue with Pakistan, without admitting as much. Why not be frank about the change in our position? Why resort to word play to obfuscate?

A recent report of the 2017-2018 Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (PSCOD) has revealed that India’s defence services are facing a severe resource crunch. Given the enormous amount of money that the country is already spending on defence, the chances are slim that the government will come up with the significantly higher amounts of funds needed for modernisation. Meanwhile, the armed forces are facing obsolescence in equipment. The wa

युद्ध, जलवायु परिवर्तन  और भविष्य की महामारियों के जोख़िमों के बीच G20 सदस्य देशों के बीच साझेदारी, सहयोग और संवाद के माध्यम से निजी क्षेत्र की भागीदारी, जैसे निजी क्षेत्र की

गेल्या दशकापासून, दरवर्षी होणाऱ्या संयुक्त राष्ट्रांच्या महासभेत महत्त्वाकांक्षी पण अद्याप दूर वाटणाऱ्या शाश्वत विकास उद्दिष्टांना म्हणजेच सस्टनेबल डेव्हलपमेंट गो�

While Australia-Indonesia ties are in limbo, it would make sense to deepen the Australia-India side of the triangle. Here the potential areas for action are maritime domain awareness, naval intelligence sharing, providing access to each other's naval facilities, and working together to improve the capacity of smaller states in the Indian Ocean.